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SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Solidoodle Discussion → 0.3mm or 0.2mm nozzle for Solidoodle hotend?
I want to know, if I want to have a 0.3mm or 0.2mm nozzle instead of the stock 0.48mm on SD4 hotend, can I just replace the nozzle? or is it unique size for each hotend and I need to replace the whole hotend.
Seems such a simple little part to be unique for each hotend and nozzles are sold separately on ebay so just wondering.
I am sure you could find replacement nozzles for the stock hotend, but it would be easier and more reliable to upgrade to the E3D. That way, many different nozzle sizes would be readily available and have been proven to swap.
If I recall correctly, one SF user about a year ago found some nozzles, but I don;t think they posted any results.
E3D even has 0.2mm, 0.3 and 0.4 nozzles on their website. But I can't afford an E3D right now.
E3D even has 0.2mm, 0.3 and 0.4 nozzles on their website. But I can't afford an E3D right now.
there are at least 15 sizes from .15-.6+
what I wonder is has anyone put a hot end on a solidoodle that uses 3.0mm filament and how it was done and results. I find 3.0mm filament discounted way low sometimes and it could be used for larger less detailed toys etc for faster production and cheap sale to public like many done since over 3 years ago to build their garage mini factories of printers on a rack also using recycled plastics even if lower quality after several cycles as discovered here.
Thats a question which could use a separate topic, if there isnt one yet.
Guys! Fact check:
* http://e3d-online.com/E3D-v6/Extra-Nozzles there are 6 nozzle sizes available for the E3D
* The solidoodle stock nozzle is (contemporarily) 0.40mm diameter
Sorry red, I don't know the answer to your question, I bailed for an E3D at the earliest opportunity... 
n2, maybe this is of interest re your diversion: I've read that direct drive of 3mm (as per the solidoodle extruder) is a bit weak, it needs a geared extruder. If you convert to bowden feed and use a geared extruder design (or a geared stepper motor) then there's nothing stopping you. I understand the difference in print quality between the two to be negligible once calibrated. If you can find discounted 3mm filament then that might make it worthwhile. Plastic can be recycled to 1.75mm filament, so not sure what you're getting at there - regardless of diameter, it still needs to be clean as it has to be extruded through the printer nozzle.
Since this thread turned into an e3d ad, I might as well ask: is it easily swappable with the stock Solidoodle 4 hotend? (no modification to the printrboard motherboard, the extruder, etc)
But again I wouldn't like spending $60ish for just changing the nozzle diameter. I know e3d can do all sorts of other magical stuff, but I don't need them currently.
Since this thread turned into an e3d ad, I might as well ask: is it easily swappable with the stock Solidoodle 4 hotend? (no modification to the printrboard motherboard, the extruder, etc)
But again I wouldn't like spending $60ish for just changing the nozzle diameter. I know e3d can do all sorts of other magical stuff, but I don't need them currently.
well from my experience and what others say. I dont know why you would want smaller nozzles if your not doing exotic materials or nano details like some of mine. my SD2 has a .35mm and is main reason I wont chance clogs using PLA again as that is common on smaller than .4mm nozzles and SD standard hot ends cant be torn down to drill out the crystallized PLA without destroying the hot end. as many SD nozzles are installed so they cant be removed. either lock tight of punched like a lock nut etc. also not all nozzles are same thread size for interchangeability. but E3Dv6 is a common size used by other companies giving more selection than just what they sell. also with orifice drill sets you can turn a slightly smaller sized nozzle into other sizes between that nozzle and the next. dont know why you would need to but its possible just recalibrate flow settings. most settings can make 1 size nozzle do most prints that nozzles of slightly bigger/smaller size do.
also the thermistor on Solidoodle attaches different making it easy to damage or become misaligned and if over heated just a bit the non-metal peek can melt out ruining the hot end.
Since this thread turned into an e3d ad, I might as well ask: is it easily swappable with the stock Solidoodle 4 hotend? (no modification to the printrboard motherboard, the extruder, etc)
But again I wouldn't like spending $60ish for just changing the nozzle diameter. I know e3d can do all sorts of other magical stuff, but I don't need them currently.
You'll want to print up an mk5 for the e3d (search here and thingiverse) and get a 625zz bearing for the tension arm. You can try to use just the bottom of the mk5 and put the stock extruder with spring on top, but I've done it and I think it's just a waste of time. You will have feeding problems, most likely. Adjustable tension for the extruder is better in every way, anyway; you want enough tension to have the right amount of pull from the extruder motor.
No other modifications needed except splicing the heater cartridge into the stock wiring (easy). The thermistor connects the same way to the printrboard. A couple firmware changes which are well documented on e3d-online and filastruder.
The e3d is one of the simplest upgrades one can do to MASSIVELY improve output quality and you handicap yourself by not switching to the e3d or some other all-metal hotend. What's the point of any other upgrades if the hotend is average? A great printer demands a great print head. I'd argue even if you don't swap nozzle sizes you should get an e3d. You simply don't know what you're missing until you get one. It is accurate, does not ooze whatsoever, and is nearly impossible to clog due to its short melting zone.
I even printed with mine assembled all wrong for a while (hundreds of hours and several spools) to where it started leaking burnt plastic out the top and it still didn't clog 
any SD swapping hot end for E3d is going to need other upgrades for its differences. Elmoret can tell you how much each nozzle costs but they are a fine machined part so not pennies. more like several dollars each then slicer profiles and maybe firmware must be adjusted for each size for flow rate calculations. some people use extra printers with the different mods for specific use of printing items that need that setup.
Cost of the E3D and shipping will vary depending on which country you are located, and eventually, what company you buy from.
Assembly is just about the easiest thing. Personally, I had a hard time updating the firmware...I have a solid reputation for that. 
http://www.soliforum.com/topic/7917/e3d … intrboard/ is a solid walkthrough that has helped many. If you have the SD4, you have this board...just to clarify.
When you have the cash, don't even think about it. Just grab your credit card and buy it. No matter what obstacles you face when upgrading, it will all be a laughable and fading memory once you see your results.
Of course, Filastruder sells E3Ds as well as nozzles.. http://www.filastruder.com/collections/ … -nozzle-v6
Elmoret can tell you how much each nozzle costs but they are a fine machined part so not pennies.
E3D nozzles are $9, same as Solidoodle's nozzles.
Here's some Solidoodle hotend compatible nozzles in smaller diameter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Plus-Nozzle- … 33823c9d93
They are also $9.
most settings can make 1 size nozzle do most prints that nozzles of slightly bigger/smaller size do.
I used to think otherwise, but now Im not really sure. How can you make a 0.4mm nozzle print at 0.3mm width? Not talking about settings, just how is it physically possible?
n2ri wrote:Elmoret can tell you how much each nozzle costs but they are a fine machined part so not pennies.
E3D nozzles are $9, same as Solidoodle's nozzles.
Here's some Solidoodle hotend compatible nozzles in smaller diameter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Plus-Nozzle- … 33823c9d93
They are also $9.
Thanks elmoret.
How do you find out if specific nozzle is campatible with Solidoodle's?
n2ri wrote:most settings can make 1 size nozzle do most prints that nozzles of slightly bigger/smaller size do.
I used to think otherwise, but now Im not really sure. How can you make a 0.4mm nozzle print at 0.3mm width? Not talking about settings, just how is it physically possible?
elmoret wrote:n2ri wrote:Elmoret can tell you how much each nozzle costs but they are a fine machined part so not pennies.
E3D nozzles are $9, same as Solidoodle's nozzles.
Here's some Solidoodle hotend compatible nozzles in smaller diameter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Plus-Nozzle- … 33823c9d93
They are also $9.
Thanks elmoret.
How do you find out if specific nozzle is campatible with Solidoodle's?
slicer settings for one. feed rate versus speed etc. Wardjr does it ok with a .6mm nozzle.
as a test try extruding while extruder is parked and grab filament as its extruding and pull it like taffy b4 it cools it will stretch and shrink thinner than human hair. thats how the kind of slicer settings used to produce thinner parameters with consistent results when flow rates are calibrated correct in firmware.
I been making ABS Whip CB antennae for model cars like that since the 70s by heating plastic model sprues and stretching then thin 9 scale feet then store them pre-cut in metal Cigar tubes to protect them till used.
not all prints can be done well this way, depends what you are trying to print and how tiny of detail or if it has lots of thin curved walls like a single layer vase etc. thats why other size nozzles are used. I may get as small as .15mm for my nano mini items or use a resin or powder type printer that are better able to do such microscopic details.
of coarse I been crazy for tiny detailed scale items for years with my hobby so I am likely in the 1% of such mad men out there LOL.
Okay, but a hotend doesn't have a way to "pull" the filament, only "push". So I don't understand how a 0.3mm plastic can be pushed out of a 0.4mm hole.
As a free air extrusion it cannot, but you have to remember that the plastic gets squished by the nozzle during extrusion and there are a variety of ways flow rate can influence the diameter of the extrusion in that case. The slic3r documentation explains fairly well and shows you the model they use to approximate extrusions.
yep, then it expands also, and once filament sticks to model the carriage moves extruder along at variable speeds which can draw/pull the filament same way as the test I gave above which can stretch/thin the width a bit. maybe not a full .1mm but .05mm is well within means of this action and much more based on how large nozzle is since its a calculation of percentage of nozzle size. hence why the smaller sizes are closer steps like within .05mm of each size, and larger nozzle sizes are at least a full .1mm between nozzle sizes. its all in the math as they say. or as us old timers call it "a little wiggle room so we can Fudge a little" lol.
this is all part of the science of extruder type 3D printing and why every set pount in slicer/gcode can change many effects of printing and depending on desired outcome some will work well but the same setting may ruin another item due to poor effects caused by how the extruder moves etc. as I stated in earlier post.
Hm. Thank you. Okay just to be sure I understood: a wider diameter nozzle can still allow to get thinner diameter plastic out because it can squish it a bit on the bed/previous layer and that will cause the flowing plastic to stretch and shrink in diameter?
well... kinda. if squished and slowed down on movement it can do a bit wider path on Perimeters. the main thing is for thinner wall perimeters, layer hieght calibration let extruded plastic push enough on last layer to stick yet with fast speed of movement of extruder than flow rate it can stretch it enough to more than eliminate expansion plus undersize width of path of perimeter so it "tricks" printer into acting like it has a thinner nozzle. this is not very hard e.g. a .4mm nozzle only has to stretch extruded material by .025mm to get diameter/wall thickness down to .35mm after heat expansion then cooled. that last part is why it dont work well on say a single perimeter curved vase, because it can pull the layer tight enough that upon cooling layers separate if not during extrusion. also same as when printing in a non-enclosed heated cabinet. some layers will even draw inward leaving 'hairs' of plastic stung across areas that must be cut away when cleaning up print which means gaps left behind.
so depending on object being printed and desired finish a nozzle size change may be needed to achieve best results. just takes lots of trial and error to find the 'happy spot' for an object. thats why many of us have dozens of slicer profiles etc.
I don't think I understood your post.
But yeah, if I'll go to Slic3r settings -> Print Settings -> Advanced I can change the "extrusion width" of the plastic for different things like perimeters and support material. And support material's width for me is set to "0.31", which is thinner than my nozzle hole diameter, so I guess it's possible.
Next question i guess is, how low can you go for 0.4 nozzle in practice with the default speed? Anyone experimented enough willing to give advice on what to try and more importantly what not to try?
I'd like for example to have thicker infill for more rigid print, say 0.6, but 0.2 for the "top solid infill" for smoother look.
But wouldn't want to clog my hotend from doing something wrong which is common knowledge for other people.
BTW, kind of sad you can't set the diameter for "bottom solid infill" as well, for objects with overhangs where you want the bottom to look higher res too like the top.
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